Purplebricks boss Michael Bruce said yesterday evening that his company will be the number one agency in the UK.

The firm presently positions itself as number three, behind Countrywide and Connells.

Speaking on the Radio 4 programme ‘Breakfast with the Disruptors’, Bruce was challenged by Simon Gerrard, who heads up a highly successful high street agency in north London, and is also a recent President of the NAEA.

Despite the programme’s apparently morning title, it went out yesterday evening at 8pm.

In it, Bruce argued that his business model was clear and transparent, offering 24-hour access to the market.

He said he had “fundamentally changed the market.”

Bruce also said that his model had introduced less hassle, adding that his firm had introduced “seismic change”.

This was in reply to Gerrard, who said that for every 15 people he employed to oversee deals, Purplebricks employed just one person.

Bruce also accused high street agents of ‘unjustifiable’ fees, saying that between its charges and high street firms’ commissions, there was a £9,000 differential.

Gerrard countered by saying that much greater valuation skills were needed in the online model.